Resilient farms, Ecological agriculture

Position: Communications Manager
Organization: Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO)
Location: Remote with some travel required, Ontario

The Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO) is seeking an experienced, enthusiastic and team-oriented Communications Manager who is passionate about ecological agriculture to support EFAO’s communications work, to help promote and engage EFAO members and the broader farming community in EFAO’s various programs and activities.

Reporting to EFAO’s Education & Policy Director, the Communications Manager individual will be responsible for some of the most crucial work that supports EFAO events and other programs, such as the creation of event listings and promotional materials to build awareness and encourage attendance. As such, it is important that this individual be detail-oriented, a proficient writer and editor, and have strong graphic design skills. The ideal candidate is a self-driven ideas person who is as excited to bring creativity and inspiration to this role as they are to work on nuts and bolts comms tasks in the day-to-day.

EFAO is a collaborative and team-oriented work environment that is committed to advancing the values of equity, diversity and belonging within the organization and through the work that we support in ecological agriculture.

Position Details

Position: Communications Manager
Location: Remote with some travel required
Hours of Work: 35 hrs/wk (option of 28/hrs per week if desired)
Start Date: April 1, 2025 (flexible)
Duration: 1 year with possibility of extension
Compensation: $55,000 - $65,000 FTE

Responsibilities

• Develop and support the dissemination of written and visual content on various platforms (social media, website, e-news) to support EFAO’s full range of programming.
• Work closely with the staff team to oversee and coordinate EFAO’s communications strategies and efforts (e.g. promotions, sponsorship, advertising).
• Support staff in developing and executing outreach and content management plans to meet the diverse goals of EFAO’s various programs and activities.
• Work with EFAO partners and staff to further amplify promotions of events, activities and programs and engage a wider audience of farmers.
• Edit various communications for clarity, brevity, brand voice, and consistency.
• Manage web content and maintain various aspects of the EFAO website using Wordpress.
• Create engaging e-newsletters and e-blasts using Mailchimp.
• Support the graphic design and content layout needs of the team for print, social media, and web communications materials, primarily using Canva.
• Assist with participant communications and offer registration and logistical support for online and in-person educational events and field days.
• Support the maintenance and growth of EFAO’s member networks with engagement ideas and event support.
• Lead the development and advancement of a video content management strategy that serves EFAO’s organizational goals.
• Support EFAO’s efforts to increase accessibility across its communications products and channels.
• Working as part of a small and dynamic team, there will be opportunities to pursue some areas of interest and engage in work that is outside of your direct role and responsibilities, and attend EFAO events.
• All EFAO staff are required to attend and support the annual EFAO Conference.

Skills & Qualifications

• Significant experience in a similar role in communications as part of a non-profit team
• Experience translating program goals and activities into communications products with large distribution and high engagement
• Technical proficiency and ability to learn new software platforms quickly
• Experience creating inspiring content for social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook)
• Strong design skills and ability to create visually appealing communications products using various graphic design tools (Canva, Illustrator)
• Strong attention to detail, organization and time management skills
• Strong capacity to work collaboratively and excellent interpersonal skills
• Very strong written and verbal communication skills
• Alignment with EFAO’s anti-racism and equity goals, and/or related lived or work experience
• Knowledge and awareness of current issues and trends in ecological agriculture
• Knowledge and awareness of EFAO’s audiences and organizational goals
• Familiarity with AODA accessible digital design guidelines
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a dynamic and highly collaborative staff team
• Experience facilitating group events and discussions an asset
• Experience supporting the planning and logistics of large events or educational conferences as well as small events, both online and in person an asset

We understand candidates may not have all the qualifications listed. If you possess approximately 80 percent of these experiences and qualifications, we encourage you to apply.

About EFAO

The Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO) supports farmers to build resilient ecological farms and grow a strong knowledge-sharing community.

Established in 1979 by farmers for farmers, EFAO is a membership organization that focuses on farmer-led education, research and community building. EFAO brings farmers together so they can learn from each other and improve the health of their soils, crops, livestock and the environment, to steward resilient ecological farms.

EFAO offers:

• A family-friendly work culture
• Flexible work schedule
• Contributions to a Health Spending Account
• Access to 12 wellness days throughout the year
• 3 weeks vacation. The EFAO office is also closed with paid time off between Dec. 25 and Jan. 1

Commitment to Equity

EFAO is committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and belonging. In pursuit of these values, EFAO actively encourages applications from members of groups experiencing barriers to equity, such as BIPOC and LGBTQ2S+. If you require accommodation when navigating the application process, please contact EFAO’s Education & Policy Director, Katie Baikie ( katie@efao.ca ).

Application deadline: 5:00PM Thursday February 27, 2025

To help us learn more about you, please provide the following in one PDF document:

• a cover letter describing how you meet the above qualifications
• a resume detailing your relevant work experience
• 2-3 work samples related to the responsibilities outlined above
• Please mention you saw this at GoodWork.ca.

Please send attn. Katie Baikie, Education & Policy Director, at jobs@efao.ca .

Candidates who are selected for an interview will receive a $75 honorarium in acknowledgement of the time and effort required to participate in the interview process. Virtual interviews will take place around March 18 to 21.

Thank you for your interest in this position!